The Memento Mori Theme in European Art

1. The Memento Mori Theme
in European Art

2. As Director of New York-based Carlton Hobbs,
LLC, antiques dealer Carlton Hobbs focuses on
purchasing, conserving, and restoring significant
European and British pieces crafted from the
1600s to the 1800s. On his weblog at
www.carltonhobbs.net, the gallery owner
examines specific types of antiques based on era,
function, and thematic approach.

3. In a recent article, the collector and dealer
examines “memento mori” as a theme of artistic
expression with a focus on reminding people of
mortality through the figurative use of skeletons,
skulls, and other symbols associated with death.
He notes that while such imagery dates back at
least as far as mosaics at Pompeii, it attained
more frequent use during the European Middle
Ages. A key focus was on the medieval church’s
notion of the collective morality of the Christian
world.

4. By the time of the Renaissance and the
succeeding Age of Enlightenment, the purpose of
memento mori imagery had shifted to
encouraging individuals to consider their own
temporal nature and the personal meaning of
mortality. Carlton Hobbs notes that advances in
medicine over the past century have led to
increased longevity and a corresponding
decrease in the desire to dwell on one’s own end
as expressed in artistic terms.